New Delhi: After a day’s delay on account of the Union government objecting to some of the provisions in the Delhi Budget, the annual financial document was finally presented by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the Delhi assembly on Wednesday. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier on Monday criticised the BJP government at the Centre for allegedly stalling the presentation of the budget and also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about it.
The newly-appointed finance minister Kailash Gahlot, who presented the Rs 78,800 crore Budget, had also accused the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of “spreading lies” about the provisions in the Budget and using the excuse to stall it.
“It is unfortunate that MHA is spreading falsehoods about the Delhi government’s budget. Nearly Rs 22,000 crore has been allocated for capital expenditure next year, whereas the allocation for advertisements is only Rs 500 crore, which is similar to that of last year. The concerns raised by the MHA are irrelevant and seemingly done only to scuttle the Delhi budget,” the Delhi finance minister said.
Noting that “the MHA expressed some concerns on Delhi government’s budget and refused to give it approval through a letter sent to the Chief Secretary on 17 March 2023,” Gahlot had called for a probe into the conduct of the Delhi chief secretary and finance secretary, claiming the chief secretary kept the letter “hidden” for three days.
Gahlot had also asked: “What is the purpose of having an elected CM, cabinet, ministers if they can not even pass budget? It’s an attempt to stop the government from functioning and harass people.”
However, the Budget was finally presented on Wednesday as the issue got resolved after the MHA approved the Delhi government’s budget on Tuesday. The ministry said it had asked Kejriwal to resubmit the Budget in view of certain clarifications being sought by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor over the proposals.
Before the presentation of the Budget, Kejriwal tweeted that people were missing former Delhi finance minister Manish Sisodia. “But we will not let his work stop. We will carry out the development of Delhi at twice the speed,” Kejriwal wrote in Hindi. Sisodia is at present lodged in the Tihar Central Jail in Delhi following his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate in graft cases linked to a new excise policy.
आज दिल्ली का बजट पेश किया जाएगा। दिल्ली के सब लोग आज मनीष जी को बहुत मिस कर रहे हैं। पर उनके काम रुकने नहीं देंगे। उनके द्वारा शुरू किए गए सभी काम दोगुनी स्पीड से किए जाएँगे।
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 22, 2023
While presenting the Budget, Gahlot also recalled the services of Sisodia, who had presented all the previous eight budgets of the AAP government. “I would have been happier if this budget was presented by Manish Sisodia who is like my elder brother. The budget is an expression of expectations and aspirations of the people,” he said.
Focus on sanitation, infrastructure and transportation
The minister then unveiled the Budget which carried the theme of “Saaf Sundar aur Aadhunik Dilli” (clean, beautiful and modern Delhi).
The emphasis of the Rs 78,800 crore Delhi budget 2023-24, the minister said, will be on “enhancing capital’s infrastructure, sanitation, transportation facilities besides the usual focus on health and education.”
The provisions stated that the Delhi government would also provide Rs 8,241 crore in financial assistance to local bodies. AAP had recently won the Delhi Municipal Corporation elections for the first time, securing a full majority in the 250-member house.
To address the problem of mounting garbage dumps, he said the Delhi government was committed to resolving this problem along with the MCD.
Under the budget, the Delhi government has also proposed to construct 26 flyovers, bridges and underpasses. Besides, he said, Rs 320 crore has been allocated for the construction of the three unique double-decker flyovers.
Apart from this, the minister said 1600 e-buses would be running in 2023. He added that all 57 bus depots will be equipped with charging facilities for e-vehicles.
On a sectoral basis, the highest allocation in the Budget has been made to education. A sum of Rs 16,575 crore has been allocated under the head.
To tackle the issue of pollution, the minister said a real-time pollution data lab would come up in every district.
For the health sector, the Delhi government has allocated Rs 9,742 crore. The minister said the kind of free diagnostic tests provided in Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics would increase from 256 to 450 this year.
Gahlot also announced that nine new hospitals are being built and four will become operational this year. “Hospital bed count to increase from 14,000 to 30,000,” he said.
The AAP government would also continue with the free pilgrimage scheme for senior citizens. Gahlot said 77,000 elderly pilgrims have so far benefited under the scheme.